Self-contained triggerplate action for low profile firearms

ABSTRACT

This invention improves on prior firearm&#39;s designs by incorporating all functionality for cocking the hammers, all action components, resetting the safety and barrel selector into the firearm&#39;s triggerplate action creating an exceptionally low profile that is more ideal for competitive shooting.

BACKGROUND Field of Invention

This invention relates to firearms and the use of a self-contained triggerplate action to enable the manufacture of a low profile firearm.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Description of the Related Art

Shotgun actions have traditionally been manufactured with the lever, for opening and closing the firearm, along with the safety reset components on the underside of the frame's tang. This tends to restrict the overall profile of the gun, keeping it higher than the optimal low profile for competition shooting.

This invention improves on prior firearm's designs by incorporating all functionality for cocking the hammers, all action components, resetting the safety and barrel selector into the firearm's triggerplate action. The triggerplate action is fully removable from the frame for cleaning, servicing, and tuning these components. This allows an exceptionally low profile shotgun that is more ideal for competitive shooting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention improves on prior firearm's designs by incorporating all functionality for cocking the hammers, all action components, resetting the safety and barrel selector into the firearm's triggerplate action. The triggerplate action is fully removable from the frame for cleaning, servicing, and tuning these components. This allows an exceptionally low profile shotgun that is more ideal for competitive shooting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an assembled side view of the frame, triggerplate and safety selector.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the triggerplate with components in a hammer cocked and safety reset position.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the triggerplate with components in a hammer cocked and gun closed position.

FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the hammer and hammer spur components.

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the hammer construction.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

1 Frame

2 Safety selector

3 Triggerplate

3A Cocking slide

3B Hammer spur

3B-1 Hammer spur engagement boss

3B-2 Hammer spur relief hole

3C Hammer

3C-1 Hammer slot

3C-2 Hammer shoulder

C-3 Hammer shell

C-4 Hammer insert

C-5 Hammer rebound boss

C-6 Hammer elliptical relief

D Safety reset

E Safety reset spring

F Hammer safety

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention improves on prior firearm's designs by incorporating all functionality for cocking the hammers, all action components, resetting the safety and barrel selector into the firearm's triggerplate action. Triggerplate components have the ability to cock the hammers and reset the safety then return to a neutral position allowing the shooter to take the safety off and fire the gun. The triggerplate action is fully removable from the frame for cleaning, servicing, and tuning these components. This allows an exceptionally low profile shotgun that is more ideal for competitive shooting.

FIG. 1 is an assembled side view of the frame, triggerplate and safety selector. This shows the triggerplate 2 assembled into the frame 1 with the safety selector 3 in place.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the triggerplate with components in a hammer cocked and safety reset position. The triggerplate 3 in this side view shows the relative position of key components as the gun is opened and cocked. The cocking slide 3A is pulled forward and engages the hammer spur 3B causing it to rotate along with the hammer 3C to a cocked ready to fire position. During this process the hammer spur 3B also engages the safety reset 3D that pushes the safety selector 2 back to a “safe” position.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the triggerplate with components in a hammer cocked and gun closed position. As the gun is closed, the cocking slide 3A is released from the cocking cycle and returns to a neutral position. This allows the hammer spur's 3B free-wheeling design to let it return to a neutral position under the pressure from the safety reset spring 3E along with the safety reset 3D. Once these components are in a neutral position the gun can be taken off a “safe” mode by moving the safety selector 2 forward to fire the gun. This is a critical feature that all cocking and resetting components can return to a neutral position once the gun is cocked and reset.

FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the hammer and hammer spur components. The hammer spur 3B has a engagement boss 3B-1 that fits into the hammer slot 3C-1 and will cock the hammer 3C but the slot is large enough to allow the hammer spur to return to a neutral position. The hammer spur 3B is registered in position with the hammer 3C by the engagement boss 3B-1 fitting into the hammer slot 3C-1 and the hammer spur relief hole 3B-2 fitting over the hammer shoulder 3C-2.

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the hammer construction which allows the hammers to rebound and eliminate firing pin drag on shells when opening the gun, elliptical relief on the bottom of the hammers to remove sear spring pressure that can increase trigger pull, and high mass construction that increases the hammer force and reliable ignition of shell primers. The hammer 3C is composed of a hammer shell 3C-3 and a hammer insert 3C-4. The hammer insert is manufactured from a high-density material such as tungsten with a mass of 1.6 times steel to create more ignition force with less spring pressure. The insert is bonded to the shell with a high temperature brazing foil to create a high strength impact resistant joint that withstands firearms usage. The hammer rebound boss 3C-5 is positioned on the front part of the hammer and is engaged by the locking slide when the gun is opened allowing both hammers to rebound and lock behind the hammer safety 3F. This eliminates any firing pin drag on the faces of the shells in the gun's chambers when the gun is opened. By keeping this as a separate operation maximum spring pressure is used to accelerate the hammers when firing the gun for higher reliability. A hammer elliptical relief 3C-6 is located at the bottom of the hammer and rotates the sear up once that hammer is fired so that second shot trigger pull is not adversely affected by having to overcome the pressure of two sears when firing the second shot.

All components have thin film coatings that enhance wear resistance, reduce friction, and increase rust resistance. This makes the action function more smoothly and extends its service life.

In summary, the Self-Contained Triggerplate Action for Low Profile Firearms has the ability to cock the hammers and reset the safety then return to a neutral position allowing the shooter to take the safety off and fire the gun. The action has high mass hammers that rely on less spring force to reliably fire the gun, separate operation hammer rebound to eliminate firing pin drag and elliptical relief to minimize trigger pull. This allows an exceptionally low profile shotgun that is more ideal for competitive shooting. 

1. A self-contained triggerplate action for low profile firearms, comprising: components enabling the gun to open, cock the hammers to a firing position, and as a means to reset the firearm's safety, a hammer construction enabling higher mass as a means of creating a more reliable action with shapes to allow rebounding and minimal trigger pull on firing said firearm, thin film coatings as a means to reduce friction, increase rust and wear resistance of said firearm's components, whereby said firearm has a very low profile to provide better characteristics for firearms shooting. 